


Waiting For Superman

by randomfandomimagine



Series: Imagines (Reader Insert) [3]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Loneliness, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 14:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16120739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomfandomimagine/pseuds/randomfandomimagine
Summary: Y/N is having a rough time, so when she is saved by Superman she thinks that things will start going differently for her.





	Waiting For Superman

He was our only hope, he was the only one capable of saving us. Only Superman could rescue us from that perilous situation, and I prayed that he arrived soon, otherwise the burning building would collapse on us.

The chaos around me faded away as my mind began racing. I couldn’t focus, I was too deep into my own panic to think about anything else. When all of a sudden, I was literally swept of my feet and nestled into two strong but gentle arms until I was carried outside.

Just as I looked up to my savior, I met with his kind eyes as he carefully set me down on the ground. When my feet touched the ground, I felt relieved but exhausted.

“Superman” I uttered in awe, taken aback by his breathtaking presence.

“Are you alright, miss?” He asked me with that softness that characterized him.

“Yeah” I breathed out, slowly realizing that I was right next to Superman and that he had saved my life.

He then nodded, smiled at me, and flew away. I felt almost empty with his absence, but I tried to focus on recovering from the adrenaline and anxiety that I was currently going through after my life was threatened.

“Y/N!” A familiar voice called me, and soon enough Clark was running my way. “Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine” As his hands worriedly fell on my shoulders, I rested mine on his arms. “Superman saved me”

It was the perfect end to the perfect month. Like I hadn’t gone through enough stress already, I went through a life or death situation. If it weren’t for Superman…

“Come here…” Clark was still worried as he hugged me close, providing with a feeling of safety that could equal the one Superman’s presence gave me. As soon as my friend let go of me, he put his jacket over me and an arm over my shoulders. “I’ll take you home, come on”

I nodded, still a little absent and in shock after the incident. But I was reassured with Clark there next to me.

*

As Clark sat me down on my couch, I felt all the exhaustion washing over me like a wave. I sighed, wanting to go to sleep yet being afraid of having nightmares about what happened, about all the stress that I had gone through lately. I wanted Clark to stay with me all night, but at the same time I wanted to be alone and don’t let anyone see me in that state.

“Are you feeling better?” He asked me as he slowly sat down, not to startle me.

“I said I’m fine, Clark” I looked up at him and showed him a weak smile.

“You just went through a traumatic experience, you don’t have to pretend you’re okay” His arm rested over my shoulders once more, kindly bringing me closer to him and fondly rubbing my upper arm. “It’s completely fine to be affected by it”

“Lois has been in more trouble than me and look at her” I muttered, feeling self-conscious about the whole thing, about being so overwhelmed by it all.

“But Lois is stubborn, she’s more… Lois” Clark chuckled, causing me to chuckle a little too.

“I’m okay, Clark, I promise” I patted him in the chest. “I just need to rest”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m suuuure”

“Okay, but if you need anything you call me, I’ll be here faster than Superman”

“I doubt that” I laughed a little, figuring that was his intention.

“Sleep well” Clark left a small kiss on my head as he stood up. “You know where to find me”

I nodded, feeling too exhausted to even reply. Clark kept staring at me as he headed for the door, almost not wanting to leave me on my own. But I smiled at him once more to reassure him. Even if I felt a little bit empty when the door closed behind him.

I grabbed a cushion and hugged it close to my chest, wishing this horrible week ended already and the next one would be better. Luckily, the next day it was Monday. But I had a feeling that things wouldn’t be easier yet.

I looked out the window a few meters in front of me, looking up to the stars. I felt like I needed Superman to save me again, feeling so lost and vulnerable, so scared and overwhelmed. All my life I had been okay without him, but lately… I needed a Superman. It felt like his magical existence could solve it all.

“He might come to check on me” I told myself just to ease my own nerves. “He’s probably just busy somewhere else, saving the day”

She’s been locked up inside her apartment a hundred days  
She says, yeah, he’s still coming, just a little bit late  
He got stuck at the laundromat washing his cape”  
And she smiles, oh the way she smiles

I couldn’t stop thinking about Clark too. I’ve had my suspicions for a while now, but that day it all clicked in my head. Especially now that I was over the initial shock and fear and my head was clearer although it worked slowly.

Clark showed up a second after Superman left. How did he know I was there? Was it too much a coincidence that Superman knew and saved me and right after, Clark appeared too?

There were many clues that led me to think that Clark was Superman, that they were the same person. First and foremost, the fact that they were the same height, built and they had the same eye and hair color.

The logic part of my brain told me that Clark Kent couldn’t possibly be Metropolis’ superhero. A shy, clumsy, mild-mannered guy? Being the most charming, confident and super hero of them all? It was unlikely, that was for sure, but… it still gave me something to think about. And I knew I wasn’t the only one, surely people close to Clark thought the same thing at some point. Lois, for example, had her doubts for sure.

I shook my head, driving those complicated and exhausting thoughts away at the moment. I just sighed and smiled at nothing, just imagining about the idea of Superman coming along with that characteristic magic of his and sweeping me off my feet again to fix everything.

*

The next day I was a little better, even if I had a restless sleep and strange blurry dreams of flying men and red capes. I woke up kind of late, but first thing I did was pass by the Daily Planet to visit Clark and everyone.

When I came in, I was received by the usual frantic movement of all the journalists working, but I didn’t see Clark at first. I did run into Jimmy, though, who immediately greeted me.

“Hey, Y/N!” Jimmy put a hand on my arm. “Clark told me about yesterday, how are you?”

“Much better, thank you” I smiled at him, endeared by his concern. “Where is he, by the way?”

“Oh, he went out with Lois, but they should be back soon”

“I’ll wait for them then”

“What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be home resting?”

“No, Jimmy, I… Didn’t really want to be alone” Truth was, alone in my place I just ended up eating my head about everything that was going on. And also about the crazy theory that Clark was Superman, still.

“I see” Jimmy pursed his lips in a somewhat awkward gesture. “Well, you know you’re always welcome here”

“If Perry doesn’t think I’m distracting you, that is” I joked to relief the awkwardness. The both of us laughed at the silly comment.

“I have some work to do, actually” Jimmy shrugged. “Some errands to run, but it was great seeing you”

“You too, Jimmy!” I watched as he walked away, leaving me completely alone. Inevitably, I returned to my thoughts. 

I was just feeling so confused, nothing made sense. I had always looked up to Superman and got excited at the mere thought of meeting him. Also to maybe prove my theory that Clark was Superman. But I had met Superman and it was… underwhelming. Sure, he was still amazing, kind, selfless and charming. But… something was missing.

Maybe I was overthinking, I was such a mess lately. I had gone through too much stress and I felt overwhelmed, lost and lonely.

“Look who’s here” Clark’s kind and friendly voice got me out of my thoughts.

“Hello, Clark” I waved back at him, plopping down on his chair. 

“Y/N, what a surprise to find you here” He smiled at me. “It’s been a while”

“I know I’m around here a lot” I shrugged a little. “Is it bad that I want to see my best friend?”

“Not at all” He quickly picked up his papers and went through them, fast and efficient like he was.

“Do you mind taking a little break?” It was getting on my nerves that he was so busy, was it that bad that I needed some attention? Everyone had so many things to do while I was just… idle.

Clark lifted his gaze from the papers and nodded, even though a frown had formed on his brow. He probably noticed my whiny and almost needy tone. He focused his attention on me as he leaned on his desk.

“Sure, what is it?” He asked me, patiently, curious, but overall, concerned.

“I don’t even know, I’m just… restless…” I averted my eyes in shame.

“Are you okay?”

“I… don’t know”

“What’s the matter, Y/N? Is it because of what happened with Superman?”

I shook my head, not understanding my own feelings. Whenever someone asked me I was okay, my first instinct was to reply I wasn’t. But… I didn’t want to admit it. It had been a rough time lately and I didn’t know how to recover from it, how to put myself together and take control of my life again, become stronger after the failures.

“Maybe it is…” I admitted, feeling comfortable enough with Clark to share it. “It was like the last straw, you know?”

“But… silver linings…” He mumbled, not really wanting to upset me. “You met your hero, right?”

“I did, and maybe that’s the problem, Clark” I sighed, feeling so frustrated and exasperated. “He was just so… super… Too super!”

He squinted his eyes as he observed me carefully, intrigued. But he nodded seeing as I grew silent.

“It wasn’t what you had imagined” The way he said it, I knew he read me perfectly well. It wasn’t only about Superman, nothing right now in my life was like I had imagined.

“Like, say… you, for example, Clark” With that, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. But I kept on talking, wanting to test his reaction. “You’re no Superman, but you’re so kind and selfless too… You actually are so alike”

Clark didn’t reply, he just stared in awe even if I did notice he grew a little bit nervous. However, that could be explained with his worry about me.

“We… we are?” He chuckled awkwardly, fixing his glasses.

“Yeah! I mean, physically not that much. You resemble each other but he’s so much taller and stronger than you, no offense” I looked away deliberately, watching him with the corner of my eye and seeing a unique outrage in his expression that cheered me up a little. “But it’s how much you two care, how you’re brave and thoughtful and just… kind”

“And what was the point you were trying to make, Y/N?” He interrupted with a soft smile.

“Yeah, sorry. What I meant was that I felt so lost that I looked up to Superman, almost hoping he would appear and sweep me off my feet and magically make all my troubles disappear and he finally did!”

“I’m sorry, Y/N, I don’t understand what you mean”

“I mean that he appeared and he was just gone! I blinked and left just like that, but he didn’t take my troubles away. I don’t know, it’s stupid”

She’s out on the corner trying to catch a glimpse  
Nothing’s making sense  
She’s been chasing an answer  
A sign lost in the abyss, this Metropolis  
She says “Yeah, he’s still coming, just a little bit late”  
He got stuck at the Five and Dime saving the day”

She’s talking to angels, counting the stars  
Making a wish on a passing car  
She’s dancing with strangers, falling apart  
Waiting for Superman to pick her up  
In his arms yeah, in his arms yeah  
Waiting for Superman

I shook my head in silence, knowing how I wasn’t making any sense at all. But Clark gently lay his hand over my shoulder and when I looked up I met with his kind eyes. A small smile also formed on his lips.

“It’s not stupid” Clark raised his eyebrows, as though making sure I was paying attention. I nodded and so he kept talking. “You’re clinging to him because he’s someone you admire, he’s something pure and good in your life while everything else isn’t right now”

I grew emotional at how he could see through me, how Clark could tell exactly what I felt and almost read my mind. He surely was my best friend, because he knew me even better than I thought. Even better than I knew myself.

“You know what’s the difference between you and him?” By that point I was starting not to care if he was Superman or not. “You stay”

My words seemed to have an impact on him, because he frowned in deep thought. He knew what I meant, he knew that I was aware of the fact that Superman wouldn’t stay to hang out with whoever he just saved, he had other people to save, other things to tend to. But after saving someone, he left.

Clark, on the other hand, stayed because this was important. Because he cared about me and would stay when I was upset, to comfort me and be there for me.

He didn’t say anything, so I just stood up and kindly patted him on the shoulder.

“Sorry to bother you like this, Clark” It was nice that he listened to me, but what could he do to help? There wasn’t much more to do. “I’m better now, I promise”

“Y/N, wait” He called me, but I was already on my way out.

I needed to stop living in a fantasy where Superman would come to the rescue and live in the real world. And for that I needed to do it alone.

*

I looked at the TV, but I wasn’t really watching it. I felt a complete apathy, I didn’t feel like doing anything. I didn’t know what to do to cheer up, I was so lost and hopeless that I was just resigned. Nothing was the way I imagined, nor my life, nor Superman. Not even Clark, who I used to believe was Superman.

Metropolis was a big city, lonely for someone like me. Someone who dreamed big but also fell high from where I stood in the clouds.

Someone suddenly knocked in my front door, so I lazily stood up and opened the door. I was surprised to see a familiar and kind face. He was also holding a big box of pizza in one hand and a bunch of movies in the other hand.

“Clark…” I uttered in awe, not quite assimilating what he was doing here. “What…?”

“I won’t take a no for an answer” He came in and put the things over the table, then turning to me with a big warm smile plastered on his lips. “You can’t just say no to movie night”

“Movie night?” I managed to let out, still puzzled. “Since… since when?!”

“Since right now” His smile grew even brighter than before, remaining warm as were his eyes. “And you wouldn’t just ask me to go away, right?”

“Clark…”

“That’d be rude, and I know you’re too polite and friendly to throw your best friend out like that”

“Clark!”

“What?”

I had to chuckle at his goofy demeanor, still appreciating his efforts. I had an idea why he was there. Why he presented himself without a moment’s notice with pizza and movies.

“What are you doing here?” I crossed my arms and observed him intently, awaiting an honest response.

“I told you, movie night” He innocently shrugged his broad shoulders.

“With what purpose, I mean”

“To watch movies, obviously”

“I know that”

“Then why do you ask?”

“Clark, seriously!”

He let out a light chuckle himself and walked closer to me, acquiring a somewhat serious but still soft expression. He then put his big hands over my arms.

“I’m your best friend, I wanted to be here for you” He shrugged again, as though implying it was that simple. “I wanted to stay”

Clark looked into my eyes, and I could tell just by that simple glance that he read me like an open book. He knew I was struggling, he knew I felt hopeless, and he didn’t want me to. That was why he was there, to accompany me so I wasn’t alone in those sad and rough moments. To distract me, to cheer me up, to comfort me and just be there as a friend. 

“Damn it, Kent…” Tears appeared in my eyes, I felt incredibly moved by that stupid yet endearing gesture. He just showed up to keep me company, and it meant a lot. “You and your stupid and beautiful selflessness”

He let out an amused guffaw at my words, but didn’t think twice to wrap me in his arms. Clark’s embrace felt comforting, reassuring, safe. I felt protected from everything, including this cruel world that had been mistreating me lately.

“Sorry that it took me so long to realize, Y/N” His hands rested in my back, bringing me even more warmth and comfort as they rubbed circles in them. “I was just a little busy, I should have noticed before”

“It’s okay…” I said in a strangled noise, fighting the emotional tears. “Thank you”

“You’re welcome” He gently squeezed me against his strong torso, and I hid my face in his chest looking for further comfort.

It was cozy there, I was happy being held by Clark’s arms. Feeling his warmth as he comforted me, giving me his absolute support and affection, things that I badly needed. I smiled, genuinely for the first time in days.

I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t even care if my theory was correct. So what if Clark were Superman? What if Superman were Clark? What if they were the same person? Whether they were or not, Clark was Superman for me in the most mundane of ways. I had been waiting for Superman, the alien with the cape and super strength. But I was received with this instead, and I preferred it. 

As Clark lovingly hugged me, I knew he was Superman without the cape. And not because he was capable of rescuing me from a burning building, but because he stayed. Because he was there when I needed him most.

She’s talking to angels, she’s counting the stars  
Making a wish on a passing car  
She’s dancing with strangers, she’s falling apart  
Waiting for Superman to pick her up  
In his arms yeah, in his arms yeah  
She’s waiting for Superman

To lift her up and take her anywhere  
Show her love and climbing through the air  
Save her now, before it’s too late tonight  
Oh like the speed of light  
And she smiles


End file.
